The Queen and the Pope meet at the Vatican

[Blackleaf]

Two of the world's great figureheads met today in the world's smallest country.

Queen Elizabeth II, the Supreme Governor (not the leader, because Jesus Christ is the leader) of the 27-million-strong Church of England and the Head of State of 134 million people met Pope Francis, the leader of the 1.16-billion-strong Catholic Church, at the Vatican.

The meeting in the Vatican was described as a private one and the BBC's correspondent in Rome says pomp and protocol were kept to a minimum.

Earlier the Queen and Prince Philip had lunch with the Italian President, Giorgio Napolitano, and his wife Clio at the Quirinal Palace.

One subject that was not expected to be discussed by the Queen and the Pope was the Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as Las Malvinas, which are controlled by the UK but claimed by the Pope's native Argentina. He has in the past referred to the islands as "ours" (proving once again that the Pope, no matter who holds the title, and the Catholic Church are enemies of Britain).

The visit coincides with the 32nd anniversary of the start of the Falklands War.

It is the Queen's first foreign trip since a visit to Australia in 2011.

It is the her fifth meeting with a Pope in her 62-year reign and her third visit to the Vatican.

Queen meets Pope Francis at the Vatican


BBC News
3 April 2014

Pope Francis met the Queen in the informal surroundings of a room known as the "Pope's study". Pope Francis gave the Queen a royal orb made of lapis lazuli with a silver cross on top, for her baby great-grandson Prince George. The Queen presented the pontiff with a hamper of British produce, including goods grown in the gardens of royal palaces, and whisky.

The Queen has met Pope Francis for the first time, during a one-day visit to the Italian capital, Rome.

The meeting in the Vatican was described as a private one and the BBC's correspondent in Rome says pomp and protocol were kept to a minimum.

Earlier the Queen and Prince Philip had lunch with the Italian President, Giorgio Napolitano, and his wife Clio at the Quirinal Palace.

It is the Queen's first foreign trip since a visit to Australia in 2011.

The Queen and Prince Philip had lunch with the Italian President, Giorgio Napolitano, and his wife Clio at the Quirinal Palace in Rome

The royal couple had lunch with the Italian president and his wife in the Sala Torrino in the tower of the Quirinal Palace

Arriving at the Vatican, the Queen shook hands with the Pope and said "Sorry to keep you waiting, we were having lunch with the president."

The Queen and Prince Philip later had tea with the Pope in a suite of rooms in the Pope Paul VI Audience Hall, close to the Casa Santa Marta, the guest house in the Vatican where the Pope has chosen to live.

It is her third visit to the Vatican during her reign but the first time she has met Pope Francis, who was installed just over a year ago.

In a break with Vatican convention, the Queen did not wear black, or a veil, but instead wore a lilac-coloured spring coat and matching hat.

The Queen and the Pope exchanged gifts inside the Vatican. Pope Francis gave the Queen a royal orb made of lapis lazuli with a silver cross on top, for her baby great-grandson Prince George.

The orb is an emblem of royal power which the ancient Romans used to represent the universe, before it was adapted by Christians who added a cross on top to represent the world under Christianity.

Shown the gift, the Queen responded "He will be thrilled with that," before adding "when he's a little older".

The Queen presented the pontiff with a hamper of British produce, including goods grown in the gardens of royal palaces, and whisky.

The former Pope, Benedict XVI, met the Queen at her official Scottish residence during his 2010 state visit

The Queen has now met five popes, including Pope John Paul II in 2000

The Queen, who is supreme governor of the Church of England, met the leader of the world's Roman Catholics at a time of thorny Anglican-Catholic relations over the Vatican's move to bring in hundreds of Church of England priests dissenting from their Church's line on the ordination of women.

Relations between the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Pope Francis are cordial however and the Queen has long supported moves to improve understanding between the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, BBC correspondents say.

One subject that was not expected to be discussed was the Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as Las Malvinas, which are controlled by the UK but claimed by the Pope's native Argentina. He has in the past referred to the islands as "ours".

The visit coincides with the 32nd anniversary of the start of the Falklands War.

649 Argentines, 255 British troops and three Falkland Islanders were killed in the 1982 conflict

Speaking to Vatican radio, Britain's ambassador to the Holy See, Nigel Baker, said: "The Vatican has been clear with us, including in the last week and at a very senior level, that their long-standing position of neutrality on this issue remains in force."

He added that the Queen "will want, I think, to understand from Pope Francis how he sees the role of faith in the world".

Queen Elizabeth II had previously visited the Vatican three times during her reign - once to meet John XXIII in 1961 and again in 1980 and 2000 to see John Paul II, whom she also met at Buckingham Palace in 1982.

BBC News - Queen meets Pope Francis at the Vatican

 

[Spade]

This post prompted me to research the word "vatican". Apparently it is derived from the Latin mons vaticinus which means prophet's mountain. So the prophet of the mountain meets mons elizibethicus - no translation necessary.

 

[Blackleaf]

Queen presents Pope with hamper of British produce. It contained whisky, honey, chutney, and beer from royal estates. ‘This is from Buckingham Palace,’ said Prince Philip, pointing at two golden jars. ‘Honey from my garden!’ the Queen chipped in. She is very proud of her beehives.

He, in turn, presented the Queen with two gifts which had evidently involved a great deal of thought. First was a facsimile of a 17th century Papal decree upgrading the saintly status of St Edward the Confessor, King of England between 1042 and 1066 and the Queen’s ancestor. ​

Next was a charming lapis lazuli orb not unlike the one which British monarchs hold at coronations as a symbol of Christian authority. The proud great-grandmother was delighted. ‘He will be thrilled with that,’ said the Queen, ‘when he’s a little older!’​

Before the royal departure, the Pope also presented the Duke of Edinburgh with three papal medals in gold, silver and bronze. ‘It’s the only gold medal I have ever won,’ the Duke joked.​

What does the woman who has everything give the man who, famously, wants nothing at all?​

Answer: A dozen eggs, a haunch of venison, six bottles of Coronation bitter and a box of Sandringham soap.​

On what was the ageing monarch's first overseas trip in three years yesterday, the Queen paid a visit to Pope Francis at the Vatican.​

She brought with her a wicker hamper full of home-produced delicacies – from Balmoral whisky to a rib of Windsor beef. ‘I hope that will be unusual for you,’ she told him. It certainly was.​

Set against the dry-as-dust protocol which has traditionally governed royal visits to the Vatican, this meeting was almost riotous.​

Support: Italian royal fans display a banner in Rome as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England arrives to meet the leader of the Catholic Church​

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On Italian soil: The Queen steps down from her flight, followed by Prince Philip

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Stately: The Queen and Italian President Giorgio Napolitano walk past Courrassiers presidential guards inside the Quirinale Presidential Palace on Thursday

Movers and shakers: British monarchs and Popes haven't always seen eye to eye, but this meeting between the Pope and Elizabeth II was very friendly in nature, despite the Pope's unsavoury views on the Falklands. In recent weeks, the Pope has come under intense pressure from his fiery compatriot, Argentina’s president Cristina Kirchner, to raise the issue of the Falklands with the Queen. She will be disappointed if she believes any intervention by the Pope - who has no influence nowadays over the British monarch or the British government - will force Britain to hand the islands over to Argentina.​

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Gifts fit for a Queen: The royal couple gave the Pope a huge hamper filled with goods from royal estates, including a bottle of Balmoral whisky. In return he gave them a lapis lazuli orb for eight-month-old great-grandson George​

The Pope smiles as the Queen and the Duke of Edingburgh describe the products in the hamper they presented to him​

Present and correct: The lapis lazuli orb for Prince George is inscribed with 'Pope Francis, to His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge'​

Blue for a boy: The box Prince George's present came in​

Cordial: Pope Francis, the Queen and Prince Philip talk at the Vatican while seated on elegant red chairs​

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Group photo: The Queen and her staff with the Pope in the Vatican

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Smiles better: The Queen and Pope beam at the cameras

On all four previous visits, the Queen had worn black. But Pope Francis had said this would not be necessary. So, for yesterday’s meeting, she was in the same lilac ensemble which she wore on a visit to Hertfordshire during her Diamond Jubilee.​

For her meetings with Popes Pius XII, John XXIII, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, she had been welcomed in the vast Apostolic Palace.​

But Argentine-born Pope Francis has made a big thing of rejecting gold-draped Vatican flummery during his first year in office, forsaking the grand Papal apartments for a little suite in St Martha’s boarding house round the corner.​

The original plan had been to welcome the Queen to his rooms in St Martha’s but with all the various officials and diplomats involved, not to mention an international media circus, the venue was switched to a conference centre just behind his digs.​

A dozen ceremonial soldiers from the Swiss Guard stood outside as the Queen and Prince Philip arrived in a bullet-proof Lancia, 20 minutes behind schedule.​

The spiritual leader of 1.2billion Catholics seemed a little nervous as he welcomed the Supreme Governor of the Church of England into a very plain foyer with a very loud carpet. ‘You go first – you need to show us where to go,’ laughed Prince Philip as the Pope steered him into a private audience room.​

Doors shut, the 17-minute chat was witnessed only by an interpreter. All cameras and officials were excluded.​

In recent weeks, the poor Pope has come under intense pressure from his fiery compatriot, Argentina’s president Cristina Kirchner, to raise the issue of the Falklands with the Queen. ​

When Mrs Kirchner heard about plans for this royal visit, she flew to Rome to badger the Holy Father over a three-hour lunch and then kept up the lobbying with personal letters – and also via Twitter.​

She even tried to upstage the Queen yesterday by unveiling a new Argentinian bank note featuring the islands.​

It was all utterly pointless, not least because the Vatican has always maintained a firm neutrality on the Falklands – and senior Papal representatives were happy to reassure the British Ambassador to the Holy See on this very point shortly before the visit.​

If the word ‘Malvinas’ had surfaced at any point, then we would surely not have seen such a smiley Queen as the doors opened and she emerged to present the Pope with her gifts. ‘I’ve brought you something from all our estates which is for you personally,’ she said.​

Laid out on a table was a hamper, stamped ‘EIIR’, packed with all the best that Balmoral, Windsor and Sandringham have to offer – plus one item from HQ. ‘This is from Buckingham Palace,’ said Prince Philip, pointing at two golden jars. ‘Honey from my garden!’ the Queen chipped in. She is very proud of her beehives.​

The Pope, who has a famous sweet tooth, looked very pleased.​

He, in turn, presented the Queen with two gifts which had evidently involved a great deal of thought. First was a facsimile of a 17th century Papal decree upgrading the saintly status of St Edward the Confessor, the Queen’s ancestor. ​

Next was a charming orb not unlike the one which monarchs hold at coronations as a symbol of Christian authority.​

Made of blue lapis lazuli, it was topped with a silver cross just like that on St Edward’s Crown, the centrepiece of the coronation ceremony.​

Engraved on its base were the words: ‘Pope Francis to His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.​

The proud great-grandmother was delighted. ‘He will be thrilled with that,’ said the Queen, ‘when he’s a little older!’​

Mrs Kirchner, on the other hand, will hit the roof when she finds out about this. When she met Pope Francis last summer, shortly after the birth of her own grandson, he gave her a present for the baby – a pair of white booties.​

A nice thought. But what does Prince George get? Not mere footwear but – caramba! – a priceless, fully-fledged addition to the Crown Jewels.​

Before the royal departure, the Pope also presented the Duke of Edinburgh with three papal medals in gold, silver and bronze. ‘It’s the only gold medal I have ever won,’ the Duke joked.​

Read more: The Queen meets Pope Francis for the first time | Mail Online
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[Tecumsehsbones]

I imagine those two would have a lot to talk about.